Senate Bill 1479 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 41-51-301, to enhance the process for providing driver licenses and photo identification licenses to inmates. The bill specifies that the Department of Correction will coordinate with the Department of Safety to issue a driver license to inmates who had a valid license prior to incarceration. If an inmate does not have a valid license, they will instead receive a photo identification license. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for extending the expiration date of a driver license for individuals whose licenses expired during their imprisonment or within six months of their release.

The bill also establishes a new section in Title 55, Chapter 50, Part 3, which mandates that the expiration date of a driver license held by an inmate must be extended for six months post-release if it expired during their incarceration. It requires the Departments of Safety and Correction to enter into a data-sharing agreement to facilitate this process and outlines the responsibilities of both departments in notifying license holders and implementing necessary policies. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the re-issuance of driver licenses and identification for inmates, thereby aiding their reintegration into society.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-51-301(a), 41-51-301, 41-51-301(b)(1), 41-51-301(b)(2), 41-51-301(b)(3)